The Cheapest Knife in CS2
The cheapest knife in CS2 right now is the Shadow Daggers | Black Laminate at $33.41. Below: the cheapest way into every one of the 20 knife types, and the 20 cheapest knife skins overall — all live marketplace prices, not a list someone wrote last year.
Cheapest skin on every knife type
Every knife is identical in play, so this table is the whole answer to “what does it cost to own a [type]”: the premium between rows is animation and looks, nothing else.
| Knife type | Cheapest skin | From |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Daggers |  Black Laminate | $33.41 |
| Navaja Knife |  Safari Mesh | $33.74 |
| Survival Knife |  Rust Coat | $35.00 |
| Paracord Knife |  Safari Mesh | $35.32 |
| Kukri Knife |  Safari Mesh | $35.45 |
| Gut Knife |  Safari Mesh | $38.05 |
| Bowie Knife |  Rust Coat | $40.02 |
| Huntsman Knife |  Rust Coat | $44.86 |
| Ursus Knife |  Safari Mesh | $45.92 |
| Falchion Knife |  Rust Coat | $46.97 |
| Classic Knife |  Safari Mesh | $54.72 |
| Nomad Knife |  Safari Mesh | $58.91 |
| Flip Knife |  Safari Mesh | $101.94 |
| Skeleton Knife |  Safari Mesh | $102.95 |
| Bayonet |  Safari Mesh | $109.30 |
| Stiletto Knife |  Boreal Forest | $112.89 |
| Talon Knife |  Safari Mesh | $178.93 |
| M9 Bayonet |  Safari Mesh | $251.76 |
| Karambit |  Safari Mesh | $350.00 |
| Butterfly Knife |  Safari Mesh | $394.37 |
The 20 cheapest knife skins overall
| # | Knife | Price from | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadow Daggers | Black Laminate | $33.41 | Covert |
| 2 | Navaja Knife | Safari Mesh | $33.74 | Covert |
| 3 |  Shadow Daggers | Bright Water | $33.79 | Covert |
| 4 |  Shadow Daggers | Rust Coat | $34.02 | Covert |
| 5 |  Navaja Knife | Forest DDPAT | $34.02 | Covert |
| 6 |  Navaja Knife | Rust Coat | $34.15 | Covert |
| 7 |  Navaja Knife | Boreal Forest | $34.32 | Covert |
| 8 |  Navaja Knife | Scorched | $34.36 | Covert |
| 9 |  Shadow Daggers | Forest DDPAT | $34.39 | Covert |
| 10 |  Shadow Daggers | Boreal Forest | $34.47 | Covert |
| 11 |  Shadow Daggers | Safari Mesh | $34.64 | Covert |
| 12 |  Navaja Knife | Night Stripe | $34.78 | Covert |
| 13 | Survival Knife | Rust Coat | $35.00 | Covert |
| 14 |  Navaja Knife | Urban Masked | $35.06 | Covert |
| 15 |  Survival Knife | Safari Mesh | $35.11 | Covert |
| 16 | Paracord Knife | Safari Mesh | $35.32 | Covert |
| 17 | Kukri Knife | Safari Mesh | $35.45 | Covert |
| 18 |  Navaja Knife | Damascus Steel | $35.79 | Covert |
| 19 |  Survival Knife | Forest DDPAT | $35.92 | Covert |
| 20 |  Kukri Knife | Boreal Forest | $35.93 | Covert |
Prices are the lowest live listing we track across marketplaces — see all knife skins for the full catalogue, or the other end of the market for what the ceiling looks like.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest knife in CS2?
Right now it is the Shadow Daggers | Black Laminate at $33.41. The floor of the knife market is almost always a Shadow Daggers or Navaja Knife in a basic finish — the smallest knives with the least dramatic patterns. The exact skin changes with the market; this page tracks live prices.
Why are knives so expensive compared to regular skins?
Knives only drop as the Rare Special Item in cases, at roughly 0.26% — about 1 in 385 openings. That supply constraint sets a hard floor: even the plainest knife finish costs more than most Covert rifle skins, because someone had to burn a few hundred dollars of case keys, on average, to bring it into existence.
Is a cheap knife worth it?
It depends what you want it for. In-game, every knife is functionally identical — a $37 Navaja does exactly what a $2,000 Butterfly Fade does. If you just want a knife equipped, the floor of this table is the rational buy. If you care about the animation, Butterfly, Karambit and M9 command their premiums almost entirely for the flip.
Can I get a knife cheaper through a trade-up?
Since the October 22, 2025 update, yes in principle: five Covert skins trade up into one knife or pair of gloves from the gold pool of an input's collection (five StatTrak Coverts return a StatTrak knife). You can't choose the model or finish, and five Coverts usually cost more than the cheapest knives listed here — see the knife trade-up guide at /guides/cs2-knife-trade-ups/ before trying it. Buying on a marketplace is the only way to get a specific knife.